


laughing 'til our ribs get tough

by reversustenebris



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Fluff, Sleepy Bois are adopted family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, adoptive siblings pog!, and strawberry ten + fundy are family, family au, they are neighbors, this is just all sweetness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:02:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26708692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reversustenebris/pseuds/reversustenebris
Summary: Despite having never met them, Tommy hates the new neighbors. He expresses this to his family at the table during breakfast.“I hate the new neighbors,” Tommy says through a mouthful of cereal, interrupting the conversation Wilbur and Techno had been having.“What?” Techno says, looking at him in confusion.“Why?” Wilbur asks at the same time.“Don’t talk with food in your mouth,” Phil says from the other end of the table.
Comments: 18
Kudos: 517





	laughing 'til our ribs get tough

Despite having never met them, Tommy hates the new neighbors. He expresses this to his family at the table during breakfast.

“I hate the new neighbors,” Tommy says through a mouthful of cereal, interrupting the conversation Wilbur and Techno had been having.

“What?” Techno says, looking at him in confusion.

“Why?” Wilbur asks at the same time.

“Don’t talk with food in your mouth,” Phil says from the other end of the table.

“Ok, for one: I hate the new neighbors. Two: because they just moved in and their house has a nicer yard than ours. Three: no.”

Wilbur snickers. “I didn’t know you had such an affinity for gardening, Tommy.”

“Wh- No- I don’t!” He sputters, “I just think they’re trying to prove something.”

“You think they’re trying to flex on some strangers they’ve never met before by having well-kept flowerbeds?” Techno offers.

“When you put it that way it sounds stupid.”

“That’s because it is stupid.” Wilbur says.

“Alright, chill,” Phil says, resting the newspaper he had been reading down on the table. “Tommy, how about we go get to know them, first, before you decide that you hate them?”

Tommy lets out an overdramatic groan. “Phil, that requires a lot of work.”

“Their house is next door. Literally like twenty feet away.”

“You’ve got me there.”

\-------

Tubbo is sitting on the couch in the living room, staring intently at yet not actually reading the book in his hands, when the doorbell rings. He jumps a little before standing up and tossing the book onto the couch.

He walks to the stairs and calls up them. “Eret! There’s someone at the door!”

“Then answer it?” His brother calls back.

“I don’t want to!” Tubbo says, “What if it’s a stranger?”

He hears Eret’s laugh echo down the hall. “We just moved here, Tubbo, everyone is a stranger to us.”

Tubbo groans. “I mean a dangerous stranger! I could be kidnapped and it would be all your fault because you didn’t come downstairs and open the door for me! Wha-” He’s cut off by the doorbell ringing again, several buzzes in a row like someone is spamming the button.

The sudden noise is followed by the sound of Eret’s footsteps bounding down the stairs. He gets to the bottom, gives Tubbo an exasperated look, and opens the door. Tubbo stands cautiously behind him, peeking over his shoulder.

On their front step are four somewhat familiar looking people. Tubbo thinks he saw them next door the day he moved in. The angry-looking one in the front seems to be around his age, which would be comforting if not for the generally sour mood the boy seems to have. He stays in his spot behind his brother.

“Can I help you?” Eret asks.

The older-looking guy in the back gently nudges the other three out of the way and holds out a hand to Eret, who takes it. “Hey,” he says, giving their hands a shake. “I’m Phil. These are my kids. We’re your neighbors.” He says the last part with a nod of his head in the direction of their house.

“Ah, I thought you looked familiar. I’m Eret,” Eret replies, and Tubbo sees his shoulders lose their tension somewhat. “This is Tubbo, my brother,” Eret says, trying to turn so that the boys on the porch can see Tubbo from his hiding spot. Tubbo takes a step further to the side. “He’s… not in the mood for chatting today, apparently.”

Phil just laughs. “I understand.” He motions to the tallest one of the three kids. “This is my oldest son, Wilbur.” To the punk-ish boy with the dyed pink hair. “This is Techno,” And lastly, to the grouchy blonde one. “And this is Tommy.”

“It’s great to meet you guys,” Eret says, “We haven’t really gotten to know anyone here yet. Our other two siblings are out job-hunting today, so hopefully they can meet some more folks there.” He turns to look at Tommy. “You and Tubbo look like you’re around the same age. How old are you?”

“Sixteen.” Tommy says.

“Oh, awesome!” Eret turns to face Tubbo, giving him an encouraging look. “Tubbo, you guys are the same age!” He lowers his voice a little. “Just say hi, at least? For me?”

Tubbo gives him a pleading look, which Eret returns. He sighs and peeks further around Eret’s shoulder. “Hello.”

He sees Wilbur aggressively elbow Tommy in the side. “Hello.” Tommy returns, before elbowing Wilbur back.

“You guys are terrible.” Techno mumbles. 

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Tubbo,” Phil says, deliberately ignoring his children. “You’re welcome over anytime.”

“Likewise for you all,” Eret says absentmindedly, watching in fascination as Wilbur and Tommy’s fight escalates in his front yard. “Well, we better get going.” He puts an arm around Tubbo’s shoulder, “We have to finish getting Tubbo enrolled for school. It was wonderful meeting you all.”

“Of course,” Phil chirps before pausing in thought for a second. “Would you and your siblings like to come over for dinner later this evening? We’d love to have you.”

“I think we can swing that. Right, Tubbo?” Tubbo gives an encouraging nod. “Awesome.”

Phil grabs Wilbur and Tommy by the sleeves and begins dragging them back towards the house, Techno dutifully following suit. “See you at six!”

“See you at six!” Eret returns before shutting the door and slumping over in mock-exhaustion. “That was… interesting.”

“I don’t want to make friends, Eret.” Tubbo says, though he doesn’t sound very convincing.

Eret pushes himself away from where he was leaning on the door and starts to head back up the stairs, ruffling Tubbo’s hair along the way. “Too bad!” He stops at the bottom of the steps. “Please try?” He asks, turning to face Tubbo. He looks tired, in more ways than just physical.

“Ok, Eret.” Tubbo says, following him inside the house and letting himself be pulled into a hug. “I’ll try.”

“Thanks, Tubbs.” Eret mumbles from above him before letting go and making his way towards his computer upstairs.

\--------

Tubbo is trying his very hardest to be nice and make conversation. For Eret. But it’s not easy to get a single word in at this dinner table.

He’s sat between Tommy on his left and Eret on his right, eyes burning a hole in his plate instead of attempting weak eye contact with his neighbors. The conversation had been going surprisingly smoothly so far. Niki and Fundy seem to have quickly gotten along with the older siblings of the other family, and Eret, despite barely being the oldest, is clicking pretty well with Phil.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to talk, he just doesn’t know what to say, and he’s not really in the mood to shout over Tommy and Wilbur’s bickering, or Fundy and Techno’s chatter across the table. He subconsciously leans closer to Eret for comfort and lets out a small sigh. He feels someone poke him in the shoulder.

“You okay?” Tommy asks, voice soft for the first time since they’ve met. He sounds nervous just asking.

“Yeah,” Tubbo says, sliding the plate in front of him closer towards the center of the table so he can rest his head on his arms. “It’s just loud.”

Tommy also pushes his plate away to rest his head, tilting it towards Tubbo. “We can be quieter if you need it.”

Tubbo smiles, a real one for the first time since they got there, “It’s okay.” The two of them sit and stare for a second, trying to figure out the other. “What kinda stuff are you into?” Tubbo asks eventually.

“Video games, mostly.”

Tubbo perks up at that. “Me too! I like Minecraft, mostly.”

Tommy looks equally excited. “Same!” He pulls out his phone. “What’s your username? My family and I have a server we play on with some friends. I’ll whitelist you.”

“Really?” Tubbo asks. He thinks it over. “Can you add my siblings as well?”

“Why not?” Tommy says, and dutifully writes down the four usernames in a note on his phone before setting it back down on the table. “Do you stream? I do!”

“I haven’t since we moved…” Tubbo says wistfully. “We should stream together soon. Once I get my computer set up again, anyways.”

“Absolutely.”

Wilbur turns around from where he had been talking to Techno. “Finally talking, huh?”

“Fuck off, Wil.”

“Can I not speak to my own brother?”

“No.” Techno says from behind Wilbur with a smirk.

“Stop encouraging him.” Wilbur says.

“What bad behavior are we encouraging?” Eret says, turning around to face the boys.

“Nothing.” Tubbo affirmed.

“Aww,” Fundy calls from his side of the table, “I love bad behavior.”

“Fundy!” Niki laughs. “We’re guests, quit it.”

“Nah, this is normal.” Phil says, continuing to eat like nothing’s wrong. “Go ahead.”

“Phil!” Wilbur groans. “Not even a little help?”

“Nope.”

“Fine.” Wilbur turns back to Tommy. “So, what were you two talking about?”

“Minecraft!” Tommy and Tubbo say together.

Techno looks interested. “You play?”

“We all do!” Eret grins.

“Family Minecraft nights?” Fundy offers.

“It’s a deal.” Phil says sagely. The rest of the table affirms.

The topic of gaming spurs the table into legitimate conversation, and both families mesh surprisingly fast. The awkward quietness from the beginning of the evening is gone, and once the entire table goes wild when Techno somehow loses one of his lip rings in the mashed potatoes, the jokes start coming like they’ve all known each other for years. 

“Told you so.” Eret whispers to Tubbo at the end of the night.

“Shut up, Eret.” Tubbo says, before yawning and leaning his head on Eret’s shoulder.

“Aww.” Tommy cackles from Tubbo’s left. “Clingy.”

“At least I have siblings who love me.”

“Hey!”

“No, no, he’s right.” Techno says with a laugh.

“Techno!” Tommy whines. “Come on, man!”

“Can’t argue with that.” Wilbur says.

“Guys!” Tommy says, grabbing Wilbur by the shoulder and shaking him a little. “You do love me, right?”

Wilbur laughs before pulling Tommy into a half hug. “We do. We just like fucking with you.”

“Be nice!” Niki says, though she’s smiling. 

“Imagine not loving your siblings.” Fundy says. “Couldn’t be me.”

“Fundy, this morning you woke up thirty minutes before me on purpose so you could use all the hot water before I even got out of bed.”

“Not my fault you’re slow, Eret.”

“Actually it sounds like all of that was deliberate and your fault, Fundy.” Tubbo says.

“Tubbo! Hush.” Fundy stage-whispers.

“It’s totally your fault.” Niki affirms.

“Why are all of us so petty?” Techno says.

“Survival of the fittest.” Tubbo offers.

Phil laughs. “You all are making this so dramatic.”

“You raised us!” Tommy says.

“You don’t listen to me!”

“Ok, yeah, that’s fair.”

“This neighborhood is a mess.” Eret says, burying his head in his hands, though his shoulders are shaking with obvious laughter.

\-------

Tommy has been trying to leave the house and head to school for the past fifteen minutes.

First, Phil had to make sure he had eaten breakfast. He assured him that he had. Phil put a few protein bars into the side pocket of his backpack anyways.

Second, Wilbur had to make sure he had his schedule. He did. Wilbur shoved a copy still-warm from the printer in his hands anyways.

Finally, Techno stopped him right before he headed out the door. 

“What do you need, Techno?” Tommy said, defeated. Techno slips a Post-It note into his hand. On it is another schedule scribbled in messy pencil.

“Tubbo’s schedule.” Techno explains. “Keep an eye on him, will you? I know you two have a few classes together.”

“Of course. Why do you have this?”

“Eret insisted I give it to you. He’s worried.”

“He’s always worried about Tubbo.”

“Can’t argue with that.” Techno pats Tommy on the shoulder before motioning towards the door. “Have a good day, Tommy.”

Tommy smiles. “I’ll try!” He says before pulling open the door and hopping down the steps. The moment his feet hit the clean-cut grass of their lawn, he sees two familiar brunette figures glide by on longboards. “Hold up!” Tommy calls out, and he sees them glance back before stopping. He runs down the sidewalk to catch them.

“G’morning, Tommy!” Tubbo says, picking up his longboard and tucking it under his arm. Next to him, Eret does the same.

“Tubbo!” Tommy starts, pausing to pant a little after running to catch up. “I didn’t know you could skate!”

“Eret’s teaching me!”

The man in question looks very proud of himself. “You’re doing really well, Tubbo.” He pauses to consider something. “You know, Tommy, we have a spare board that Fundy doesn’t use anymore-”

“He’s scared he’s gonna fall,” Tubbo interjects.

Eret laughs. “Indeed he is. Anyways, if you want, I could teach you as well?” Tubbo gives an affirmative nod.

“You mean it?”

“Of course.” Eret checks his watch. “Shit, I don’t want you guys to be late. Do you mind walking, Tubbs?”

“Nah, not really.” Tubbo says, handing Eret his longboard. “Let’s go!” He chirps, motioning Tommy forward with his hand. Tommy follows suit. “Bye!” Tubbo calls back to Eret, who gives him an enthusiastic wave, though he looks a little lost.

“Bye!” Tommy echoes before turning to face forward as the two of them walk. “Eret looked kinda sad.” He says once they reach the street corner. 

“He’s worried about me.” Tubbo says, looking a little sad as well. “He’s worried about all three of us.”

“I can imagine.” Tommy says as they watch the cars go by in front of them. “Why’d you all move here anyways?”

“Our adoptive parents are really sick. They couldn’t keep all of us at home, so we moved.” He looks around. “I’m the only one still a minor, so I trust the three of them to take care of us. Eret has the most work, though.” He sighs. “He has to do most of the paying for the house, for all four of us, and then anything we have left goes home for medical bills.”

“Shit, dude.” 

“Yeah. He starts working again next week.” They cross and approach the school building. “I’m going to miss him.”

“Miss him?”

“He works two jobs, and he works a lot. Fundy and Niki are going to start working soon, too.”

“Well,” Tommy says, unsure of what else exactly he should do, “You can always come over to ours if you need, like, company or something.”

“Really?”

“‘Course.”

Tubbo smiles wide. “Thank you, Tommy.” He starts to move forward, but pauses, unsure, and so Tommy takes the initiative and pulls him into a short hug. 

“See you at lunch?” Tommy says once they pull away.

“See you at lunch.” Tubbo affirms before they walk into the building and split up down different hallways.

Tommy hurries to his first class, some environmental science, he thinks, and sits down next to the one person he recognizes enough to trust.

“Purpled,” he starts the moment he’s in his chair, “do you have five bucks I can borrow?”

“Hello to you too, Tommy.” Purpled says, looking entirely unimpressed. “Not even gonna say ‘hi’ before asking me for money?”

Tommy groans. “It’s important!”

Purpled levels him with a look, but he dutifully pulls out his wallet and slips a five dollar bill onto Tommy’s desk. “What do I get in return?”

“My friendship forever.”

Purpled mimes grabbing the money back.

“Ok, fine, I’ll get Wil to shout you out on stream again.”

Purpled pulls his hand back. “Works for me. Good deal, Tomathy.” He snickers.

Tommy, for once, isn’t very bothered by the name, instead staring down at the bill as he threads it through his fingers. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Later that day, when Tommy finds Tubbo hunched over his Nintendo DS at an empty table in the cafeteria and slides an extra lunch tray over to him, he mentally praises Purpled. He’ll make sure he gets that shoutout.

\------

When Tubbo gets home later that day, he’s still smiling.

He tosses his backpack at the foot of the stairs before heading out into the backyard. Niki is kneeled by one of the flowerbeds, gently moving around a few flowers in order to make room for some new ones. Eret’s leaned over trying to plant some new hedges at the edges of the fence, and Fundy is sitting at the little porch table carefully painting one of those glass suncatchers. They all call out a greeting once Tubbo’s out of the house.

“Where’d you even get that?” Tubbo asks, going to stand over Fundy. The catcher is shaped like a little fox.

“Dollar Tree,” Fundy says, before reaching into a plastic bag next to him and pulling out another one, this one shaped like a bee. “I got one for you, too.”

“Why?”

“I mean, you like it, right?”

“...Yeah

Fundy pats the wicker chair next to him. “Then come paint with me.”

Tubbo dutifully sits down and gets his paint kit set up. He sees Niki finish moving her plants and stand up to head there way out of the corner of his eye. She sits at the table with them.

“How was school, Tubbo?” She asks, resting her chin in her hands as she watches her siblings paint. 

“It was good! I-”

“Hold on!” Eret yells from his corner of the yard as he sets his tools down and hops up, hurrying over to the table to grab the last open seat. “I wanna hear everything, too.”

Tubbo laughs, but gives his brother time to get settled before continuing. “It really was pretty good. I made a friend in music theory!”

“What’s their name?” Niki asks.

“His name is Jack. He’s pretty cool! We didn’t get to talk much, though.”

“Did you see Tommy?” Fundy pipes up from next to him.

“Yeah! We have a few classes together and we had lunch together.”

Eret reaches across the table and grabs his hand. “Sorry I couldn’t give you much for lunch, I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet.”

“It’s cool, Tommy bought me some.”

“Really?” Eret says, smile returning.

“That’s so nice!” Niki exclaims, “We should do something for him.”

“Like what?” Fundy says as he puts the finishing touches on his suncatcher. 

“We have some baking stuff, don’t we?” Tubbo offers.

Eret pushes away from the table to stand up. “Perfect! Give me and Niki a bit to get cleaned up, and then we can go fuck around in the kitchen and see what happens.”

“Baking pog?” Tubbo says.

“Baking pog.” Niki confirms as she and Eret head back inside.

A few hours later, the four of them are standing on the front step of the other house, Tubbo carefully balancing a tray of fresh-baked cookies in his hands. Niki rings the doorbell, and Phil is quick to answer.

“Hey!” Phil says before noticing the tray. “Holy shit, is this for us?”

“Yeah!” All four of the siblings say at the same time.

Phil laughs at the synchronization before taking the tray from Tubbo’s hands. “Do you guys want to come in and share them with us, then?”

“Oh, you don’t have to-” Eret starts.

“Don’t be like that, Eret. We want you to.” Phil says before turning around and leaving the door open behind him. The four siblings follow suit, letting Phil lead the way to the kitchen.

Tommy comes bounding into the room the moment they enter. “Tubbo!” He says, “Did you guys make cookies?”

Wilbur’s head comes poking through the entrance to the living room, Techno not far behind. “Cookies?” Wilbur stage-whispers.

“Cookies.” Phil confirms, setting the tray on the table and pulling off the foil covering. 

“Fuck yes.” Techno says, immediately grabbing one off the top of the pile.

“Want to watch Treasure Planet with us?” Wilbur asks through a mouthful of cookie.

Fundy gasps from behind Tubbo. “I fucking love Treasure Planet!”

“Yessssss,” Techno says, “C’mon.” Both families, with the exception of Tommy and Tubbo, file into the living room to get comfortable.

“Thanks,” Tommy tells the other boy as he grabs a cookie from the tray, holding it up. Tubbo grabs one and does the same. “Cheers?”

“Cheers.” Tubbo says, and they tap the cookies together before each taking a bite, barely able to hold back their giggles. “Thanks for the lunch, Tommy.”

“Anytime.” They sit and eat in silence for a moment, the only sounds coming from the steady flow of conversation in the living room. “You know, when you guys first moved in, I hated you.”

Tubbo chokes a little on his cookie before recovering. “Wh- Why?”

“This is going to sound so stupid.” Tommy laughs softly. “But I was mad you guys had a nicer garden than us.”

“What?” Tubbo exclaims before almost doubling over with laughter. “You can come over and garden with us, if you want.”

Tommy calms down from his own laughter. “I’d like that.” He looks at Tubbo. “Wanna go watch Treasure Planet?” 

Tubbo nods and they stand, joining the others in the living room and cramming themselves into any and all empty space left between their siblings on the sofa.

The next morning, Wilbur gets tackled by a still-sleepy Tommy, who’s trying very hard to delete a picture of him and Tubbo curled up together on the couch, both fast asleep.

He saves the photo to his own phone, though.

**Author's Note:**

> this is me saying sorry for that last fic lol
> 
> title is from Ribs by Lorde


End file.
